


The Pattern of History Repeating Itself

by its_electric_babey



Category: Dream SMP-Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Beheading, Blood, DSMP, Dream Smp, Gen, Public Execution, and brainwashing, but it's super duper hard to see, festival 2.0, hints of religious ritual?, if you really squint, no guillotine this time boissssss, very implied lore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:06:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28561749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_electric_babey/pseuds/its_electric_babey
Summary: If someone were to say to me"You look like a man I had once seen before."I would be flatteredFor I would not knowOf the barrel pointed to his chest as this blade is to mineAnd that he has become what had killed him.I would not realizeThe pattern of history repeating itselfIs not a good one.___________Ranboo wasn't on the server when the Manberg festival had taken place, but he had heard the horror stories of a gruesome execution and slaughter. Naturally, he was nervous about Tubbo's plan for another festival, especially since Tubbo had been the one who suffered in the last one.Honestly, he should've expected it.They do say history repeats itself, after all.
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Ranboo
Comments: 5
Kudos: 119





	The Pattern of History Repeating Itself

**Author's Note:**

> Watch me rush to publish this before the festival tomorrow, HAHA.
> 
> (NOTE: Edited it afterwards to call it "The Green Festival.")

If someone were to say to me  
"You look like a man I had once seen before."  
I would be flattered  
For I would not know  
Of the barrel pointed to his chest as this blade is to mine  
And that he has become what had killed him.  
I would not realize  
The pattern of history repeating itself  
Is not a good one.  


* * *

* * *

To be honest, Ranboo was never one for crowds.

The Green Festival was jam-packed full of people, as Tubbo's advertising had done well enough to draw in a crowd of people from across the lands. The grounds were a mix of colour and sound, overwhelmingly so. Nerves still shaken from losing his memory book several nights prior, a headache had already nestled itself into his right temple. His eyes ached from the colours and lights that pelted him, and the homesickness for his birthplace of the End made its appearance in his chest once again.

He hopes his hands are steady enough to hold his cup. (He'd rather drink his juice than have it all over himself.)

The atmosphere was unnerving, in more ways than one. If this is what a happy atmosphere is supposed to feel like, then several authors have some serious explaining to do on their inaccuracies. There was a heavy tension laying over the event, like a freshly washed blanket had been dried in the sun too long before being used. The heat of the tension seared into Ranboo's back. On top of the horrible tension, it was almost _too_ happy.

There hadn't been a single argument or fight at all at the Festival. It was eerie to say the least. People who Ranboo could barely remember speaking more than a handful of words to were suddenly approaching him seeking conversation (a terrifying experience.) People who he had never seen friendly were friendly. He had even heard Dream laugh! ("an actual laugh," Fundy had told him, "a joyous laugh." Ranboo could see the pain and sadness in Fundy's eyes as he said that, and he wondered if he'd forgotten something important again.) The artificial happy of the Festival that seemed to lift everyone's moods was eerie, almost as if it was some outerforce controlling the atmosphere.

The sound of a bell clanging rang through the Festival, making Ranboo jump. (Thank Prime he didn't spill his juice.) Looking at the sun for the time, the bell chime was almost certainly for the president's speech!

The attendees of the Festival slowly funnelled to the seats laid out before the podium as Ranboo followed Fundy towards the side entrance to the podium, where Tubbo stood in wait with Quackity.

"Have either of you seen Ghostbur?" Fundy asked as he approached the other half of New L'Manburg's cabinet.

"No, we haven't." Tubbo's tone sounded cold or cut off, like a blade against stones. The pre-speech nerves sure could do numbers it would seem.

"Do you have your speech ready Ranboo?" Tubbo's eyes raked over from Fundy to Ranboo, and the smallest shudder ran down Ranboo's spine. Quackity and Fundy broke off into conversation as Tubbo's gaze stayed on him.

He showed a grin he hoped didn't look too nervous. "Yep! I have it right... uh..." His grin faltered slightly as his memories once again evaded him.

"In your pocket?" Tubbo suggested, and Ranboo lit up as he nodded.

"Guess I'm pretty predictable." He said with an awkward chuckle as he tucked his hand into his suit jacket's pocket, showing the folded piece of lined paper that contained his speech.

"I can't believe you get to say a speech while I don't!" Fundy whined from next to Ranboo, cutting whatever atmosphere had been held between the tall, lanky, half-enderman and his ram-horned president.

"You really want to deliver a speech in front of a crowd this size?" Ranboo said with a small chuckle, lightly gesturing to the visible portion of the crowd to the group's side. They had nearly settled into their seats and were almost ready for the speech.

Fundy grimaced in second thought, and the fellow members of cabinet laughed, other thoughts or worries temporarily forgotten. The gentle tune of Cat played through the slowly diminishing chatter of the crowd and the cabinet's laughs, and Ranbbo felt content for the first time this day.

Tubbo took a step to the side, gesturing to the decorated podium with a gentle (fake?) smile.

"Shall we?"

* * *

"- and so, residence of this land, I hope that this Festival marks a new era of justice and peace!" The crowd below the podium was filled with applause as the finishing line to Tubbo's president speech echoed through New L'Manburg.

It was a very good speech in Ranboo's opinion. He had heard small snippets of it while Tubbo had practiced as he walked along New L'Manburg's boardwalks. It sat true in not only in every Manburgian, but with (most of) those in these lands. Ranboo had heard stories of the wars that plagued this world even before he had been permitted to join. During his long time in Hypixel, rumors of an anthem for the freedom of the people and bloody battles over disks had been passed mouth-to-mouth.

Ranboo's gut twisted in anticipation and nervousness as Tubbo's voice cut over the crowd's dwindling applause. "And now I'd like to welcome Ranboo to the podium for a short speech of his own!"

Nerves rattled through his frame and his knees felt a bit like baby slimes as Ranboo made his way forward to the lectern Tubbo had just stepped back from. The polite applause that marked Ranboo's entrance to the spotlight quieted as Ranboo placed his sheet and took a breath.

"Citizens of New L'Manburg, of the Greater Dream SMP. Of Boomerville, of the Badlands, or of anywhere in between. Whether you were here from the very start or not, whether you were born here or invited, what happens in these lands affects us all.

"The events here don't only affect us, but beyond that as well. During my time on Hypixel stories were told of a powerful being who created a world! Or a nation built on hope, love and freedom! Stories told of triumph over evils and success through struggles!

"This new era of peace and justice will show those who need a world of peace can have the hope that it's achievable! This era will not only bring prosperous times for us, but bring hope of them to others! Together, we can be the light of the universe!"

Applaud erupted from beyond the podium once again, and Ranboo felt a weight come off his shoulders as a smile graced his face.

"Is that it Ranboo?" Tubbo asked from farther back on the podium.

Ranboo gave Tubbo a bit of a puzzled look. "Yeah, that's it." He said awkwardly, shuffling his feel slightly under the eyes of the applauding crowd.

"Hey guys?" Tubbo's voice boomed over the crowd, making Ranboo flinch. The clapping that had been trickling away had come to a jolting halt at Tubbo's voice suddenly coming from the soundsystem's speakers. "Since our new era is held on the justice of the law, I thought this would be a good start." Murmurs of agreement floated through the crowd as Ranboo stood at the podium, slightly lost.

"Fellas?"

A cry of surprise broke free from Ranboo's mouth as he felt his knees being swiftly kicked out from under him. His knees slammed down onto the hard planked wood underneath him as rough hands forced his own arms behind his back.

The crowd's gasp and outcries mixed with the pounding of Ranboo's heart, almost completely deafening Fundy's cry of confusion from behind him.

Tubbo he could hear just fine.

"You see, Ranboo here has been doing something he's not supposed to. Accord to this here-" Tubbo pulled out what could only be Ranboo's missing memory book from his suit jacket. "- Ranboo conspired with _our_ enemy - the anarchist Technoblade - in giving him back his armour that he had lost possession of! To New L'Manburg this is a high treason, but it also puts you all in danger! Who has any evidence to deny the possibility that if The Blade destroys New L'Manburg he'll just stop at that? Who's to say he won't destroy all that everyone has worked hard on? Ranboo isn't a traitor to just New L'Manburg, but to us all!"

"T-Tubbo, please," Ranboo's voice shook, "I'm not a traitor, please! I wouldn't betray my friends, and you're all my friends! Please, I don't even remember _doing_ that! -"

"Oh please, I know you have memory problems, but you've _got_ to be kidding me!" Tubbo laughed, too cold and grating to really be Tubbo. It's almost as if the young ram-hybrid had been possessed." Lying will get you nowhere, Ranboo. Punz, Dream? If you will.”

Ranboo's heart stuttered in his chest and strangled his throat as heterochromatic eyes reflected back to him in the unmistakable glean of a certain famed diamond axe.

Ranboo quietly cried out in pain as he was forcibly straightened up to some odd sitting position. He couldn't hear Fundy anymore, but the mixed reaction of the crowd was all-encompassing, as Tubbo continued on.

Tears sprung to his eyes as the razor-sharp edge of the famed diamond weapon rested against his chest for a moment before slicing a clean cut across his chest. Ranboo's face grew wet as tears dripped down from his eyes like the two-toned blood did from the cut across his chest.

The burn of the water and the sting of the salt mixed with the sharp pain of Dream digging a finger into the right side of his wound, retreating said finger now coated in Ranboo's side of his wound, retreated said finger now coated in Ranboo's red blood.

A circle is drawn in his blood on the log that the lectern had once sat on (he hadn't even realized it had been removed.) A similar process was done with his green blood, and an Enderman-like gurgle spring from Ranboo's lungs as tears and pain blinded him.

The one behind him (who must've been Punz) roughly forced him to bend over the log, resting his neck across it and letting his head partially hang off it.

"To mark the beginning of a new era!" Tubbo's voice boomed as the crowd became louder. Ranboo could feel himself shake as the fear encompassing him in waves. The high _shing_ of the axe being pulled up through the air was chilling.

_"Ranboo?"_

His eyes darted up to see a sweater of yellow and and dark fluffy hair, white eyes looking back into Ranboo's with an expression that could only be described as horror.

Then there was pain.

And then nothing.

* * *

Ranboo groaned, eyes scrunched up in retaliation to the light that shined in his face. Slowly sitting up, he grimaced in pain as he clutched his chest.

He gently opened his eyes to be greeted with the checkered pattern of a red-and-white quilt and his gangly hand poorly covering the scar stretched across his two-toned chest. Bringing a careful finger up to his throat, he traces the even line that ringed around his neck. The concept of scars was quite foreign to those from Hypixel (deaths are respawns were so common because of their unlimited amount that one didn't even retain death scars) and the haunting pain that lasted far after one's death (or so Tommy had said) brought a more emotional ache to his chest.

Ranboo looked out the window to the steadily falling snow, trying to ignore the reflection of eyes that may have a bit less life in them than before.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! :)))))


End file.
